Hypothermia, homicide blamed for death of family found on Santa Ana Pueblo

Hypothermia, homicide blamed for death of family found on Santa Ana Pueblo

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Updated: 7:33 AM MDT May 31, 2017

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WEBVTT TONIGHT, I SANDRA RAMIREZ, KOATAM ACTION 7 NEWS.ANCHOR: THE MEDICAL EXAMINER ISNOW CALLING THE DEATHS OF THREECHILDREN FOUND ON THE SANTA ANAPUEBLO, HOMICIDES.FOR MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN WAITINGTO FIND OUT HOW TWO SISTERS ANDTHEIR CHILDREN MYSTERIOUSLY DIEDIN THE MESA NORTH OFALBUQUREQUE.IT HAS BEEN AGONIZING FOR THEIRFAMILY, LEFT WITH SO MANYQUESTIONS.TONIGHT AS TARGET 7'S NANCYLAFLIN REPORTS, THE AUTOPSIESFINALLY GIVE THEM ANSWERS.NANCY: THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYSFIVE MEMBERS OF THE GEORGEFAMILY DIED FROM HYPOTHERMA.OTHER BODIES WERE FOUND IN AREMOTE AREA OF THE SANTA ANAPUEBLO.THEIR WHITE TRUCK NOT FAR FROMTHE FAMILY.THEIR FAMILY HAS BEEN WAITINGMONTHS TO FIND OUT HOW THEYDIED.THEIR MOTHER AND A MOTHER SPOKETO US AT A VIGIL AFTER THEIRBODIES WERE FOUND IN JANUARY.>> MY HEART ACHES FOR ALL OF US.NANCY: THEIR BODIES WEREDISCOVERED AFTER A HUGE STORM INTHE AREA.TEMPERATURES WERE BELOWFREEZING.THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS THEYWERE ALL THERE FOR SOME SORT OFCLEANSING RITUAL.THE MEDICAL EXAMINER WROTE"BECAUSE THE CHILDREN WERE NOTABLE TO LEAVE A DANGEROUSSITUATION, THEIR DEATHS AREBEING CALLED HOMICIDES."THE AUTOPSY REPORT SAYS, THEYOUNGEST, 15-MONTH-OLD CHLOE,HAD ADULT BITE MARKS ON HER ARMAND SHOULDER.STARVATION AND HYPOTHERMIA.FOUR-YEAR-OLD ZOE WAS FOUND NUDENEARBY.ALL THE GIRLS HAD CUTS ANDBRUISES.>> THEY WERE MY GRANDKIDS.THEY WERE MY FUTURE.NANCY: AS FOR THE ADULTS,19-YEAR-OLD LETICIA WAS IN THEEARLY MONTHS OF PREGNANCY.HER SISTER, 25-YEAR-OLD VANESSA,ALSO DIED OF HYPOTHERMIA.SHE HAD PIECES OF PLANTS IN HERHAIR AND SKIN.THEIR DEATHS WERE CALLEDACCIDENTAL.THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS NO ONEIN THE FAMILY HAD DRUGS ORALCOHOL IN THEIR SYSTEM.THE FBI TELLS US, THERE WAS NOEVIDENCE OF FOUL PLAY.I SPOKE TO MARIETTA GEORGE, THEMOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER OF THEFAMILY.SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE THEAUTOPSY RESULTS, AND HER FAMILYIS NOT CONVINCED.

Hypothermia, homicide blamed for death of family found on Santa Ana Pueblo

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Leticia and Vanessa George and their young children, Zoe, 4; Chloe, 15-month-old; and Haleigh, 3; were reported missing and endangered Jan 6. Agents spotted their crashed truck and the five bodies after family members reported them all missing.

All of their bodies were found nude, with scrapes and bruises on them, according to autopsy reports.

Reports also show Leticia was six to eight weeks pregnant. Chloe was found with two adult bite marks on her upper left arm and right shoulder.

Preliminary investigations show the reason they were in the area was to perform a cleansing ritual.

The week the women and children went missing, a huge storm hit New Mexico, and temperatures were below freezing.

A preliminary autopsy released in January came back inconclusive, but family members told KOAT they believed their loved ones died of hypothermia.

"We got snow and we got rain that night, and it was windy that night," The women's mom Marietta George said.